Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
IT was a day of joy, pride and celebration as Sharon DideOluwa Adurokiya and Emmanuel Oladipupo Arohunmolase joined their fellow SS3 students to bid a heartfelt farewell to their alma mater, the Nigerian Navy Secondary School (NNSS), Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Saturday, 18 July 2026, marked the Passing Out Parade (PoP) for the graduating students, as the parade ground of NNSS Ogbomoso came alive with parents, guardians, well-wishers, dignitaries and invited guests from different walks of life.
The celebrations had, however, commenced a day earlier with the traditional Dinner Night held on Friday, 17 July, at the school’s dining hall. The venue was filled to capacity as graduating students, members of the school management and proud parents gathered to celebrate the milestone.
The graduands were elegantly dressed in army-green attire. The boys appeared smart in suits, while the girls dazzled in flowing dinner gowns, many complemented with tasteful hairstyles and make-up.
The transformation was remarkable, with some parents momentarily struggling to recognise their children as they embraced the glamour of the occasion.
The atmosphere was electric. Parents beamed with pride, while school officials displayed a sense of fulfilment at seeing another successful set of students complete their secondary education.
There was ample food and refreshments for guests, music filled the air, and the dance floor came alive as the graduands, momentarily relieved from the pressures of the ongoing NECO examinations, celebrated with youthful enthusiasm.
Every memorable moment was captured through the lenses of smartphones and professional photographers hired for the occasion. The Dinner Night, which commenced at about 4.30 p.m., concluded around 7.30 p.m. in keeping with the school’s strict military tradition. Thereafter, parents and guardians departed for their accommodation in Ogbomoso, Iresa-Apa and neighbouring communities.
Beyond the celebration, the annual event provided an economic boost to the host communities. Hotels recorded increased patronage, commercial motorcyclists enjoyed brisk business, while petty traders, including roadside groundnut sellers and food vendors, benefited from the influx of visitors.
The Passing Out Parade itself was a magnificent spectacle. The military precision displayed during the march past, Divisions Parade, Quarter Guard and Colour Guard exercises reflected the discipline and training for which NNSS Ogbomoso is renowned. The colourful ceremonial uniforms and flawless parade performances once again demonstrated why many parents continue to choose the institution for their children’s education.
For Sharon and Emmanuel, the occasion carried even deeper significance.
The two first met at the school’s entrance in 2020 when they arrived separately with their parents to sit the entrance examination. Sharon’s family was leaving the school premises when Emmanuel and his father, Ebenezer, travelling from Abuja en route to Ibadan before proceeding to Iresa-Apa, sought a lift.
What appeared to be a chance encounter soon revealed remarkable similarities. Both families discovered they hailed from Ondo State, shared the same Christian faith and that the two fathers bore the same first name. The coincidence laid the foundation for a lasting friendship.
As time went on, the bond between the two families grew stronger. It became even more fascinating to discover that both families trace their roots to Akoko land in Ondo State. Six years after that providential meeting, they once again travelled together to celebrate the successful completion of their children’s secondary education—a fitting conclusion to a journey that had begun side by side in 2020.
Spending six years in a military boarding school from the tender age of 10, with only limited opportunities to reunite with their families during school holidays, was no small sacrifice. Their successful graduation stands as a testament to resilience, discipline and, above all, God’s sustaining grace.
Speaking exclusively to STONIX NEWS, Sharon expressed profound gratitude to the successive Commandants who served at NNSS Ogbomoso during her years at the institution. She acknowledged Commandant I.I. Ibrahim, Commandant Oshatuyi, Commandant E. O. Egurube, Commandant Sanni Okigbo and the current Commandant, Captain I. A. Adamu, for their leadership, guidance and commitment to shaping the lives of the graduating students.
”I appreciate my Hostel Warden, Mrs Olushola Mary Obisesan for her love and care; HoD, Home Economics, Miss AA Ebun, Guidance & Councillor, Mrs AO Ohu, ADMIN/HR, Mr MD Adebayo, all other staff of NNSS Ogbomoso sa well as my friends and colleagues.
”We meet to part and we part to meet,” Sharon, whose nickname is Shazzy Babe, dropped her parting shot in her photo column of the 2026 Year Book.
On his part, Emmanuel, who adopted the sobriquet Vision, wrote: “Believe in yourself; whatever position, you can make your own success story.”
Parents and guidance, who were at the two-day event, for both Sharon and Emmanuel included: Emmanuel’s dad, Mr Ebenezer Arohunmolase, Assoc. Professor Bukola Afolabi, Head of Department, Geology, Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Sharon’s uncle, Mr Joseph Mosi Ogunmola, Mrs Juliet Oladele and the Editor-In-Chief and Managing Director of Iwalaaye Consult Ltd, Publishers of Stonix News and Crimes Chroniclers, Pastor Ebenezer Adurokiya.
Highpoint of the event was a one-minute silent moment and prayer session observed in sweet memories of Princess Denise Yetunde Adurokiya, mother of Sharon, who passed in November 2024 while her daughter was in SS 2 first term.
As Sharon, Emmanuel and their classmates step into a new chapter of life under God’s immanent guidance, they leave behind not only cherished memories but also the enduring values of discipline, resilience, leadership and patriotism instilled by the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ogbomoso.
